Nations Cup
Ivory Coast star Romaric (right) tips Elephants for World Cup success
Ivory Coast star Romaric is confident the Elephants will make history at next month’s World Cup thanks to the star-studded squad and their new coach Sven Goran Eriksson.
The Elephants will play Brazil, Portugal and Korea DPR in the group phase of the tournament but the enforcer insists they will overcome the giants in their group.
“With a new coach, everyone starts out equal again, so you have to seize your chance. For me, this World Cup is a superb opportunity. There may well be surprises in the final list,” said Romaric to fifa.com.
“Once we get down to business, the important thing will be to think about the squad as a whole and to work hard during the preparation period so that we arrive in South Africa with as much confidence as possible.
“We need to defend together, but with everyone playing their role. We have huge problems with our collective positioning, though. We can’t afford to fall short of the minimum standard required in that area.
“We just can’t have a gap of 70 metres between the defenders and the forwards as we had in the last Africa Cup of Nations. Our lines aren’t close enough together and we’re not compact. If we correct those things, we’ll be able to aim for something big.”
Age testing took place at the Under-17 World Cup, won by Switzerland
Accusations of age cheating have blighted Nigeria’s success at youth level in recent years.
Now the country’s sports minister says MRI tests must be carried out make sure no-one is over age.
“All athletes representing Nigeria at any youth tournament [must] undergo the MRI bone scan tests,” a government spokesman told the BBC.
“Any association or federation that [fails to impose] this new directive will be severely sanctioned.”
“It is not just football that has suffered from these accusations but other sports as well – Nigerians are honest people and we should prove that.”
Football’s world governing body Fifa introduced MRI scans to check the ages of players at the recent Under-17 World Cup, which took place in Nigeria.
But they have not implemented the tests at Under-20 level because the results are less easily interpreted at that age.
Nigeria have won the Fifa Under-17 World Cup three times – 1985, 1993 and 2007 – but there have been frequent questions over the ages of some of the players representing the country.
Meanwhile, more than US$4.6 million will be paid to Nigeria’s World Cup team if they reach the final of the tournament.
Players could earn up to US$138,000 each in allowances, appearance fees and win bonuses should they go all the way in South Africa, according to the country’s football federation.
Nigeria face Argentina, South Korea and Greece in Group B in South Africa.
Algeria coach slams Fifa for 'inadequate' sanctions on Egypt
Egypt were fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($88,160) for incidents before and after their match at home to the Algerians on November 14.
They were ordered to play their first two matches in the 2014 World Cup qualifying tournament at least 100 kms outside Cairo.
Saadane, whose team are training in Switzerland ahead of the 2010 World Cup, told Reuters the punishment was not adequate considering the degree of violence his team had suffered.
“Sincerely, we have to respect it because it’s FIFA’s decision, I’m not sure it really reflects what we went through and the damage to the bus for example,” he said in an interview before a training session.
“Certainly it’s not satisfactory, but now that we’re in the World Cup, it’s over, it doesn’t matter.”
Four members of the Algerian delegation, including three players, were injured in the attack.
Egypt won 2-0 to leave both teams level on points, goal difference and goals scored at the top of African Group C. Algeria won a playoff in Khartoum 1-0.
FIFA said the Egyptians had failed to put in place proper security measures and also found them guilty of overcrowding at the Cairo International Stadium and detaining the Algerian bus for over 45 minutes after the end.
It was the latest twist to a long-running soccer feud between the two nations, which stretches back to a World Cup qualifier 20 years ago in Cairo, when Egypt won 1-0 to guarantee a place at the 1990 finals in Italy.
Players clashed on the field after the game and the Egyptian team doctor was partially blinded.
Egypt then threatened to pull out of the following year’s African Nations Cup in Algeria. They eventually sent a B team and lost all three group games.
Saadane said it was up to the Egyptians to end the tension.
“I think it’s up to the Egyptian political leaders,” he said.
“They’re the ones who have created all this controversy, I think they should make an effort, to ask for an apology from Algeria.”
But he was optimistic differences could be put aside.
“Football is there to bring people together, not war. I think that through football we can reconciliate, maybe it’s just a question of time.”
South Africa captain Makoena unsure over Portsmouth future
South Africa captain Aaron Mokoena admits he doesn’t know his next move as he comes off contract at Portsmouth.
The 29-year-old sported a T-shirt with “Thank you Pompey,” as the players waved farewell to the fans who stayed behind at Wembley on Saturday.
“People never thought we would even get to the final because of all the things happening at the club,” Mokoena said.
“Most people wrote us off, but we showed the character that we have in our dressing room.
“The pride will remain. We feel so proud because we gave it our all.”
Mokoena added: “We all know that a few players will leave because of the club’s problems and the fact that a lot of players are on loan.
“Next season will be totally different and at the moment I don’t know what the future holds.”
Portsmouth in shock contract offer for Nigeria's Kanu
Nwankwo Kanu has been offered a new contract by his financially striken club Portsmouth despite doubts over his ability to carry on in a tough league.
The Nigeria captain was eyeing a move to the Middle East to start his process of ending his playing career and the new offer has come as a shock to fans of the Super Eagles.
This is a huge confidence boost for him ahead of coach Lars Lagerback naming of his final 23 players for the World Cup.
The FA Cup runners-up, who have been relegated from the English Premier League and are tens of millions of pounds in debt, say they want to retain a “firm base” for the future.
England star David James is among those who have also been offered a new deal.
But Aruna Dindane and Hassan Yebda will return to their previous clubs after the expiry of their loan deals.
“The football club can confirm it has offered new contracts to influential first-team FA Cup heroes David James, Kanu, Hermann Hreidarsson and Ricardo Rocha,” a Portsmouth statement said.
“It’s hoped the popular quartet will bring a wealth of experience and strength to the Blues’ side as they seek to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.”
Kanu has made more than 120 appearances for Pompey, including coming on as a substitute in the FA Cup final defeat by Chelsea.
The 33-year-old is preparing to lead Nigeria at the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa.
Ivory Coast’s Dindane will return to his French club Lens, whilst Hassan Yebda of Algeria is to go back to Benfica of Portugal.
World Cup 2010: Ghana coach says injury crisis 'a dire situation'
Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has described the injury crisis that threatens to hamper his team’s prospects at the World Cup finals as a “disaster”.
Rajevac came through a similar dilemma with flying colours at the African Nations Cup in January but is less confident of pulling off the same feat again against much more formidable opposition at the World Cup.
Injuries could deprive Ghana of their three acknowledged leaders, including the inspirational Michael Essien who has been battling with knee and ankle complaints over the last nine months.
Also in jeopardy are captain Stephen Appiah, who has played a limited number of games over the last two years because of a serious knee complaint, and John Mensah, the towering defender known as ‘the Rock’, whose long-standing back problems have led to a seemingly endless run of niggling muscle complaints.
“It’s a dire situation because the three have been our captains,” said the Serbian-born coach. “I want to put together a powerful mix of young and experienced players.”
The trio were among eight regulars out of action at the Nations Cup in Angola.
Ghana unexpectedly overcame that adversity to finish runners-up, with Rajevac successfully drawing from the pool of talented U20 players who had been crowned world champions three months earlier.
The youngsters who filled the problem positions were quick to prove their competitiveness and by the end of the Nations Cup Rajevac was beaming and talking about having a pleasant selection headache for the World Cup.
The injury crisis has not abated, however, and things look much more difficult this time, with Ghana in Group D alongside Germany, Australia and Serbia.
“The group is hard but the World Cup is not a request programme,” said Rajevac.
African trio of Eto'o' Muntari, Mariga win Italian League title
African trio of Samuel Eto’o, Sulley Muntari and Donaldo Mariga won the Italian Serie A title with their club Inter Milan on Sunday keeping them on course for history.
Inter Milan stayed on course for the Treble after wrapping up a fifth consecutive Serie A title on the final day of the Italian season.
Jose Mourinho’s side protected their two-point lead over second-place Roma after a 1-0 away win at Siena.
While Roma won 2-0 away at Chievo, Inter secured their victory thanks to Diego Milito’s second-half goal.
Earlier this month Inter beat Roma to win the Italian Cup and now face Bayern Munich in the Champions League final.
This means for Mariga it was a second European title for his country Kenya as no player from that state has been invlovled in winning a major title in Europe.
But for Ghanaian Muntari and Eto’o of Cameroon their victory on Sunday add to the growing number of titles in their trophy cabinet.
Argentine compatriot Diego Milito finished coolly with the outside of his boot on 57 minutes after great work from his captain.
The striker, who has netted 22 Serie A goals in his first season since signing from Genoa, screamed with delight and could not stop running before being engulfed by joyous team mates.
Mirko Vucinic and Daniele De Rossi scored the goals for Roma – who would have been champions had the final games of the season finished at halftime.
Inter topped the final table on 82 points, two above Claudio Ranieri’s side.
Inter’s title triumph was the perfect present for club president Massimo Moratti, celebrating his 65th birthday.
The Africa Cup of Nations will now be played in odd years
The Confederation of African Football (Caf), has confirmed that the Africa Cup of Nations will now be held in odd- numbered years.
A statement on the Caf website says the switch will take place from 2013.
The decision was rubber-stamped at a CAF executive committee meeting at its headquarters in Cairo on Saturday.
The change means that two tournaments will be staged within a year with Gabon and Equatorial Guinea co-hosting one in 2012 and Libya 12 months later.
The decision means the Nations Cup will no longer be held in the same year as the World Cup, one of the reasons given for the poor performance of African teams at the world event.
In February Algeria coach Rabah Saadane had told the BBC the qualification matches for the 2012 edition would also serve for Libya.
The 11 different qualifying groups are going to count for both 2012 and 2013,” he told the BBC.
“It’s official and what’s more, the qualifiers for the Nations Cup and World Cup are going to be separate from now on,” he continued.
Caf also announced that the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) will now be held in even-numbered years, starting with Libya in 2014.
The Nations Cup has been played in an even year since 1968, although the very first competition in Sudan took place in 1957.
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